An opposition MP was last week barred from holding Constituency Development Fund (CDF) consultation meetings by the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP).
CDF are funds given to Members of Parliament by Treasury to initiate development projects in their constituencies.
Makokoba MP, James Sithole (MDC Alliance) was barred by police from meeting residents at Westgate Emjingweni where they had been invited to attend the meeting to submit their proposals.
Other meetings which were also interrupted had been set for Thorngrove Hall, Stanley Hall- Makokoba, Brethren in Christ Church-Nguboyenja, and McDonald Hall-Mzilikazi.
Speaking to CITE’s Senzeni Ncube, Sithole said he was told that the meeting could not go ahead because he is a CCC member. Said Sithole:
I have been denied to carry out the public consultation meeting at Westgate as scheduled despite the meeting having been cleared by the police.
I was told that the meeting cannot be held because I am a Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) MP hence the meeting is considered political. People have been dispersed.
ZRP national spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi told CITE he was not aware of the matter. He said:
Those decisions are done by the local regulating authority and normally when they make those decisions they don’t tell us, so I am not even aware.
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